Kokoro no Fushigi - Mysterious Hearts
by Anaconda
Summary: "It all started with a simple e-mail sent to one of Aya's best friends. Now it turned into a fight for their lives against a group calling themselves the MC2. Who is this strange new boy and his sister really fighting against? And why did Aya's friend get
1. Chapter One - The E-Mail

  
Kokoro no Fushigi - Mysterious Hearts  
Chapter One  
  
  
Many wonder what makes us who we are, Journal. Me, I'm probably the one who wonders that the most. Sometimes...I get the feeling that my life's a lie. That I'm ain't who I think I am. But then again, if I ain't who I have been these past seventeen years, then who am I? I'm pretty dumb, eh? A classmate of mine--I told you about her before, rememeber?--she said sometimes she feels the same way. That she's ain't who she thinks. It's strange, Journal. We both think the same things...and yet...I can't help but feel nervous when I'm around her. It's weird....the first time I heard her surname, I felt like she was out to get me, not when I first saw her. A-chan--my 'Net buddy, remember--said I must have known her at some other point in time. Still...it's not like I knew her, more like she was...my....my...oh, I don't know, Journal, *somethin'* or other. Ah, well. Maybe I'll find out about it later. I gotta go, A-chan asked to chat earlier and I can't keep 'em waiting long. Ja ni, Journal!  
___  
  
"Are you sure?" Suzumi asked into the receiver of her cellphone.  
"Positive. Why else would I be calling you on this line?" the one on the other end replied.  
"So, they've begun, eh?" Suzumi said through a grimace. "The Mikage don't know their own boundaries."  
"I agree. So far there have been only two in the program that I know of. I hid one somewhere where they don't know of and blocked the memories of it; the other disappeared completely. I'm doing my best to make sure other candidates are not found but there's no telling if they'll find out about either one."  
"I understand. If it comes to that, you're welcome here, ya know."  
The other chuckled with a hint of dark humor. "Yes, I do know. And if I do need shelter, I'll bring the other as well."  
"Of course. Until next time, then." Suzumi closed the phone, her fist tightening around it. Her eyes narrowed on a vase a few feet in front of her. Suddenly the vase blew and shattered. "Curse those Mikage!" she hissed through gritted teeth as she threw her cellphone into the wall, smashing it.  
"Ah! Didn't mean to do that!" she gasped, a large sweatdrop appearing on the back of her head.  
___  
  
"Yeah, then he just wouldn't shut up about it," Aya said, rolling her eyes. "You have no idea how much that annoyed me!"  
"Oh, I have a fair idea," Rei replied, winking.  
"That'll be the day!" Aya stated, laughing with her friend.  
Aya was still amazed at how swiftly time flew. Here she was, a year after becoming known as a 'tennyo', and she was still leading a fairly normal life. Okay, dodging the Mikage's stubborn schemes at capturing her weren't what one would consider a normal life. The schemes were still annoying and she was becoming ticked off at them as of late because they had suddenly stopped (though for some reason she felt that ment that they'd appear soon), but still, she was amazed that Ceres didn't just up and find them herself.  
A lot of things had changed in a year's time. Chidori still boarded with them, which added to the hijynks around the house. Tooya was slowly getting closer and closer to finding out where Aki had been taken or hidden since they don't know what really happened to him. Aya's expression saddened for a brief second at the thought of her brother. As far as they knew, he was still overtaken by Shiso and no one knew of his whereabouts.  
But, most surprising of all, Yuuhi was beginning to back off Aya. Aya herself was shocked when Yuuhi told her so.  
"I shouldn't be trying to force you to love me the same way," he had told her about three months ago. "I still care for you greatly, Aya. But...if you're happy with Tooya, then I'm happy for you. Both of you. Whatever you decide, I'll be all for it, Aya."  
Then, just a few weeks ago, something both wonderful and shocking happened to Aya. Aya smiled as she stole a glance at her left hand. The band of her ring caught the sunlight. It wasn't diamond as a traditional engagment ring was, it was like a thick gold band twisted together with silver. An engraved image of the tennyo symbol on the top. She couldn't wait until school was out for the day so she could see Tooya again!  
"Oh! By the way!" Rei said, pulling Aya out of her daydreaming. "I got the strangest e-mail yesterday, Aya-chan! I think it said somethin' about you in it!"  
"Hounto ne?" Aya asked as Rei began to dig in her bag, perplexed at the thought of her friend receiving an e-mail concerning her.  
"Hai. Here. This is a print out of it," Rei said, handing her a sheet of paper.  
Aya took the paper and began to read it. It said:  
  
To Rei Tsukino-sama;  
  
How are you? You may not know me, but I know you. Before you  
become scared or frightened by this e-mail, let me explain myself.  
I am head of an orginazation that is looking for young people such as  
yourself in a survey we are conducting. If you would like to  
participate in this, please come to the address at the bottom of the  
e-mail at your convenience. Your friend, Aya Migake, is also welcomed   
to acompany you if she so desires.  
  
Sincerly,  
Kay M.  
  
Aya looked up at her friend. "When did you get this, Rei-chan?" she asked.  
"Last night, before I went to bed. I was so worked up over it, I hardly got any sleep. Forgot to practice too," she added with a sigh.  
"You forgot your practice?!?" Aya shrieked, shocked at the news. "You've *never* forgotten to practice, Rei-chan!"  
"I know, I know," Rei groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I just hope I don't lose my edge or anythin'."  
"Yeah, me too." Aya looked over the sheet of paper again. "So, you going? This does sound strange."  
"Yeah," Rei said, removing her hands. "I wanna make sure that this Kay guy sent it to the right person and not to me by mistake. Wanna come?"  
"Hm, okay," Aya said. "When're you going?"  
"How 'bout later today, 'round five or so?"  
"All right, how about I meet you at your house. That should give you enough time to practice and everything."  
"Yoshi!" Rei said, grinning.  
As they started another conversation, Aya tried with all her will to block out the stares and voices the other students were giving them. Anger boiled inside her and she tried not to show it on her face. Why couldn't those stuck-up, bratty punks just forget what happened already and let bygones be bygones?! Maybe she should just let Ceres straighten them out...  
___  
  
Q-chan opened the sliding door and walked in with a tea tray. "Suzumi-san? Your tea's ready," she said.  
Suzumi did not even notice she was there.  
"Suzumi-san?" Q-chan said. "Is everything all right?"  
"Eh?" Suzumi said, jerking towards her. "Oh! Uh--fine! Everything's fine, Q-chan! Fine!" she insisted a little to hastily.  
Q-chan watched as Suzumi began to pick up one of the tea cups. She wasn't surprised when the cup began to shake before cracking and falling to pieces.  
"Ah!" Suzumi gasped, embarrased at her loss of control.  
"Suzumi-san," Q-chan sighed, shaking her head slightly. "What's really wrong? You only lose control of your telekenesis when extremely upset. It's been an especially long time since the last time this happened."  
Suzumi kept her gaze on the remains of the tea cup before sighing. "What I'm about to tell you will not leave this room, Q-chan. Understood?"  
"Hai!"  
"Well," Suzumi began carefully, "I got a call a few hours or so ago from....a friend. They said that the Mikage are starting a new program at their headquarters."  
"Are they out to capture Aya-chan again?!" Q-chan gasped.  
"Not that I know of," Suzumi said quickly. "But it might lead to it."  
"What is the program?"  
Suzumi closed her eyes. Q-chan noticed that Suzumi's hands closed into tight fists. "I don't know the details yet," Suzumi said, a hard hint in her voice, "and all I can tell you is that....Migake Kagami is screwing with innocent people's lives with no thought or consideration to the consequences it could lead to!!" she ended with a shout. A picture frame's glass in the room broke.  
___  
  
Yuuhi looked up upon hearing a loud crash for the second time in five minutes. He rolled his eyes, thinking, Onee-chan's mad again. He turned his attention back to the food he was preparing.  
In the back of his mind, his thoughts turned to...the Dream. For the last month and a half or so, he had been haunted by a strange and creepy dream.  
In it, he was surrounded by darkness. A voice came from one direction, then another, and another, all saying the same thing: 'Where are you , Yuuhi-san? Where are you?' A pair of hands reached out from the shadows towards him, searching for him. The arms that the hands were attached onto were battered and bruised, cuts placed here and there. The voices grew urgent and panicky. The hands streached out for him, hoping to find him. An image of a girl appeared out of the shadows, her hands still looking for him, her face was blurred so he couldn't see her face clearly. A sword or something slashed donwards, striking the girl. She crumpled to the ground before Yuuhi, unmoving. The voices ceased.  
'Leave her, and this will happen, Guardian,' a completely different voice came. A sythe appeared in front of Yuuhi...  
Yuuhi shook his head roughly, trying to pull himself out of the scene. Movement caught his eyes. He turned to the kichten window just in time to see someone pass by, their long blonde hair trailing behind them.  
___  
  
The Traveler dropped to his knees. Behind him as the Gate swung shut. He looked around, finding he was in an alley.  
"Good, no one here," he said to himself. He look at his watch. 4:47 P.M. Thriteen minutes left. The Traveler adjusted his jacket against the chilly air as he thought, So this is where it begins...  
___  
  
Aya knocked on the door to Rei's house. No one answered, no surprise there. Aya stepped back and listened. She opened the door and began to make her way to Rei's room. The closer she came, the more she could hear. She reached Rei's room. Turning the knob, she opened it enough to peek in and listen to Rei.  
"Baby, set me free,  
From this misery.  
I can take it no more.  
Since you ran away,  
Nothin's been the same.  
Don't know what I'm livin' for."  
Rei sat at the egde of her bed, eyes closed in concentratation. She cointinued to sing and strum on her guitar. Aya had heard the song before. It was one of the many Western songs Rei knew by heart. Rei had such a love for music of any kind of culture or region, it was slightly scary in a way.  
"Here I am,  
So alone.  
And there's nothin' in this world I can do."  
Rei opened her eyes and looked up at Aya. She smiled and motioned for Aya to join in. Which she did.  
"Until you're back here, baby.  
Miss you,  
Want you,  
Need you so.  
Until you're back here, baby. Yeah.  
There's a feeling inside  
I want you to know.  
You are the one and I can't  
Let you go."  
Aya smiled. "What group is that again?" she asked.  
"BBMak," Rei replied, playing a quick tune on the guitar; it sounded like folk of some kind. "Got the song off the 'Net."  
"What else is new?" Aya said, rolling her eyes.  
"Whatever, Aya-chan. Ya ready?" she asked as she put the guitar on its stand.  
"Ready when you are, Rei-chan!"  
___  
  
The room was still empty, as it all ways was when Tooya checked it. Aki, or Shiso as Kagami called him, was still no where to be found. Tooya resisted the urge to pound his fist into the nearby wall. He had promised Aya he would find her brother. He just didn't know what to do when he had just vanished without a trace.  
Yet, even though Kagami seemed preoccupied with something, Tooya could see that the man was planning something. Something he knew they wouldn't like....  
___  
  
"Is this the place?" Aya asked Rei.  
Rei looked down at the paper in her hand. "Yeah. This's the correct address. Let's go."  
They walked through the doors to the receptionist. The lady took one look at Rei before she pressed a nearby intercom, saying, "Kay-sama, she's here."  
"Send her in," the other replied, their voice somewhat distorted through the speaker.  
Rei and Aya exchanged glances as the woman motioned for them to go through the door that had just opened. They did so. As soon as they were in, the door slid back into place. They felt the small room they were in begin to climb.  
"An elevator," Aya mummered to herself.  
*Aya!* Ceres spoke in her mind.  
Aya jerked slightly. "Ceres? What's wrong?!" she hissed, not wanting Rei to hear her talking to herself.  
*Aya, I sense danger! You must get away! You and your friend are in great danger here!* the tennyo replied hastily.  
"I don't understand you, Ceres! Explain!" Aya hissed.  
*When the doors open, run for your life!* was all Ceres said.  
"Ceres! What do you mean?!.....Ceres?! CERES?!" she said loudly, not careing if Rei heard or not since she too felt that something was wrong.  
"Who're you talking to, Aya-chan?" Rei asked, puzzled by Aya's expression.  
"Rei-chan, when the door opens, run for all your worth. Understand?" Aya spoke.  
"Uh--okay. Whatever ya say."  
"I'm serious. Something's wrong. I can feel it. It's like...like--" Aya struggled to find the right words.  
"Like a heavy fog of evil is just an inch away from you and you have no way to escape it. It's closing in on you the further you go, swallowing you into its shallow, poisonous depths."  
Aya stared at Rei as she spoke. Rei stood, looking straight ahead at the metal doors. Her long hair caught the light and made her look as if she were wearing something....like a halo?  
"Yeah. Just like that," Aya whispered.  
The door opened. They met a large number of armed guards. Aya's hopes of retreat sank when she saw the symbol around their necks. Stupid, Aya, she thought. 'Kay M.'.....that's *Kagami Mikage*....baka yarou, Aya...  
___  
  
Crap! Crap! Crap! the Traveler thought angrily. One second behind! One freakin'*second*!! Man! At least now I'll know what to do in the future...  
___  
  
"Hello, Aya," Kagami said. "So good to see you again."  
"Likewise, cousin," Aya said through a grimace. Rei hardly moved from her spot in the chair beside Aya in her own. Aya figured Rei was as confused and scared, as she was. What did Kagami want with Rei? What?  
Kagami turned his gaze to Rei, who met it equally. "And you're Rei Tsukino, I believe?"  
Rei just looked at him.  
"I take it you received my e-mail asking you to come here?"  
Nothing.  
"Do you have any questions as to what I wanted you for?"  
Aya never knew silence could speak in such volumes.  
"Are you deaf, girl?" Kagami said, a slight steel tint in his voice.  
Aya nearly smiled. Rei knew just how to get to Kagami, and it seemed to be working just fine. But Aya was still perplexed by the fact that Kagami wanted Rei for something. And why was Rei suddenly acting so calmly? Aya knew her well enough to know that she was scared. Aya recalled once when Rei said something like 'if you're never scared, you're either crazy, or dead.'  
"Can you speak? Even one sound?" Kagami demanded.  
Rei stuck out her tounge. "THHHHPPPPPHHHHH!!!"  
Aya tried unsucessfully to hide her laughter as Kagami calmly removed his glasses and proceeded to clean them.  
"I see that you have some humor," Kagami said, replacing his glasses. "But formalities are over," he declared, his eyes narrowing on Rei evily. "Dr. Howell?" Kagami addressed the blonde doctor behind him. "Proceed."  
"Hai," Alec said, removing a syrigne and needle from his coat pocket. "Please cooperate, lassy," he said to Rei as he approached her. "Hold out your arm, if you will."  
Without looking away from Kagami, Rei slapped the syrigne out of Alec's hand. "I am no animal for which you will use in your abomitible expiraments, Mikage," Rei said in a flat tone, her eyes narrowing.  
Kagami slammed his hands on his desk and stood. He swiftly walked around to Rei. He stopped right beside her. "I will get what I want from you one way or the other, girl, and you know it!" he exclaimed, reaching to grab Rei's throat.  
Rei's eyes widened in shock and what Aya perceived as horror. As soon as Kagami had touched her, Rei screamed, "NO!!" before shoving him in the chest. The force of her hands threw him back, crashing into Alec and sending them both back a few feet.  
"Aya! Now!" Rei shouted, jumping over her chair and running towards the elevator. Aya, pushing her surprise back, followed. The guards moved to block them. Rei ducked, jumped over, or ran through them all, clearing a path for Aya. Ahead, the elevator door began to open. Tooya stood in the elevator, an atoumatic gun in his hand.  
"Tooya!" Aya shouted, releif in her voice.  
"Come on!" he yelled, moving aside for Rei to enter. Aya dove in just before the doors began to close. Tooya fired the gun, stopping the guards that had started to advance on them.  
"How'd you know we were here?" Aya said.  
"I was looking for clues and got a haunch," was all Tooya said.  
"Oh," Aya replied. She stopped and looked around. "Rei-chan? Where are you?" She was nowhere to be seen.  
"Up here!" Rei's hand appeared waving out of the ceiling. "Climb through the escape hatch! Hurry! They're coming!"  
"What are you--" Aya started.  
"Just do it! More guards are on the way! They'll break the door down!" Rei called quickly. She reached down and grabbed Aya's coat sleeves to help pull her up. Tooya followed close behind. "We need to get to the roof! It'll take them longer if we're there!" Rei said, looking up the shaft.  
Tooya looked at her out of the corner of his eye. How did she know all this? An unnerving feeling coming from her sent his senses on alert, telling him that she was not what she seemed.  
"How do we get up there?" Aya asked Rei.  
"How else?" Rei said, grabbing the thick cable. "We climb."  
"Say WHAT?!?" Aya yelled.  
"Either that or Kagami can let ya out after doing whatever his demented, perveted, screwed up, drugged up, and otherwise useless mind can think of doing with ya!" Rei stated.  
Aya was taken aback by the force of her words. What did she mean by that? How did she know Kagami's brain was actually like that?  
Rei grabbed the cable and began to pull herself up. Tooya gripped the cable, looking at Aya and saying, "Do you need help?"  
"Nah. It's just like in P.E. class," Aya insited, quickly going after Rei.  
___  
  
*RRRRRRRRR*  
Suzumi looked up from her dinner, breifly wondering what was keeping Aya so long, and picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi?" she said.  
"Aya and Tooya are at the Migake building. I'm sure you know the way," the voice came through.  
"Nani?" Suzumi said, snapping all of her attention to the caller's words.  
"They need you to give them a ride. Be there in--" a pause came. Suzumi could bearly hear the rustling of clothes. "In four minutes and 34 seconds or else you will never see them again."  
"Wait a second! Who are you?!" Suzumi said.  
"Call me 'Aki', if you will."  
Suzumi froze. "Shiso! Where are you this time?! What have you done with Aya and Tooya?!" she demanded.  
"I am not the same one as with your ancestor, Tennyo Suzumi. I am another. Now you've got four minutes and 20 seconds. You'd better hurry. We'll meet again, soon."  
"When?! Where will I see you?!" Suzumi said hurriedly.  
"Some time soon enough, Tennyo Suzumi. Sayanara."  
*CLICK*  
Suzumi stared at the phone on her hand. Coming to her senses, she stood and shouted, "Q-chan! Get the car ready! We're leaving for the Migake building! NOW!"  
___  
  
"Aw, crud!" Rei exclaimed.  
"What? What's wrong?" Aya called up.  
"I'm at the top, but the hatch is locked!" she replied. "I can't open it!"  
"Now what do we do?!" Aya huffed.  
A scratching sound and thumping reached their ears. Tooya cocked his gun, ready to shoot.  
The afternoon sunlight poured in from above them. The hatch was now opened.  
"How in the--" Rei started.  
A shadow moved in front of the sunlight above them. It was in the shape of a human, but they could not see who it was because of the glare. "Hurry! Get out! You only got two minutes until she gets here! Now move your tails!" the person ordered. Instantly, they vanished, leaving the three on their own.  
___  
  
Kagami sat up, his eyes staring at the opened door to the elevator, which had been forced open so many armed guards could go up to follow them. He did not even reached up to straighten his glasses, which were dangling off one ear, he just stared.  
"Cheif!" Alec exclaimed, sitting up as well. "You all right?!"  
A smile appeared on Kagami's lips, turning into a grin. "Am I all right, Dr. Howell?" he said softly, still looking at the elevator. "Am I all right? I'm better than that!" he said.  
Alec stepped back in surprise.  
"You were correct, Dr. Howell," Kagami said, turning to the blonde man. His eyes narrowed yet still shone with what appeared to be borderlined between happiness and insanity. "That girl will be a fine asset to the C project! Whether or not she is a C-genome! I don't care! I want her, no matter what!"  
  
To Be Continued... 


	2. Chapter Two - The Stranger

  
Kokoro no Fushigi - Mysterious Hearts  
Chapter Two  
  
  
Aya pushed herself up out of the opened hatch of the elevator shaft. Rei grabbed her sleeves and helped her out. When Aya was out of the way, Tooya tossed his gun up, calling, "Catch!" Rei fumbled a bit before she caught it, not touching it with her hands but holding it to her with her sleeve covered arms.  
"Whaddya want me to do with this?" Rei asked, looking at the gun as Tooya jumped out the hatch.  
"Use it in case the guards come up after us," Tooya replied, heading towards the edge of the roof.  
"Ya mean shoot 'em?" Rei said, staring at him in disbelief.  
"Hit them in their arms," Tooya said over his shoulder, looking down to the streets below, thinking of how to escape. "That way you won't kill them and they can't follow us."  
"Just try to scare them off," Aya offered, seeing that Rei was uncomforable with the job of firing a gun.  
"O-okay," Rei said, taking a deep breath. She looked down the shaft. "AH! I see some!"  
"Then shoot!" Tooya ordered.  
Rei nodded. Reluctantly, she moved her hands to grip the trigger with one hand and steady it with the other. As Aya watched, she saw Rei blink suddenly and rearragned her hands to hold the gun better. Rei put one foot on the raised rim of the hatch for balance and placed the gun against her shoulder, holding it up to aim. She fired two quick shots. A shout of pain sounded. Between the cursing and yelling, Aya could hear someone saying they had been shot in the shoulder and elbow. After more shouting, Rei fired two more. Same content in the shouts.  
Wow, Aya thought. She's got good aim! Is this really her first time with a gun?  
The familiar sound of squealing tires reached her ears. "Q-chan!" Aya shouted, rushing to the roof. The van came crashing around a corner.  
___  
  
"I see them!" Q-chan said. "They're on the roof!"  
"Pull around!" Suzumi said.  
Q-chan whirled the sterring wheel around. She slammed on the brakes, stopping them right beside the building.  
"Aya! Tooya!" Suzumi shouted up to them. "Get down here! Now!"  
"How?" Aya shouted back down.  
"Jump!"  
"What?!"  
"How else will you get down?!"  
___  
  
"She's insane!" Aya said.  
"Well, what else would we do?" Rei said over her shoulder to her. "Fly!!"  
As soon as she spoke the words, Aya felt cold. Her heart seemed to stop, then pound wildly in her chest. Aya held rim of the roof to steady herself. Wh-what is this! she thought. A...a...*something* shifted inside her.  
*No...it....she...no...it's not...possible...* Ceres' stuttered words seemed to filled Aya's mind. They were spoken, so to say, with shock, wonder, amazment--so many emotions Aya could not name them all. They were spoken so forcefully, that Aya even felt them herself. And though they were all strong, one stood out to Aya, one was what she thought--no, *knew* Ceres felt about...whatever it was she was thinking about.  
Hope.  
"C-ceres?" Aya whispered, trying to catch her breath. "What's wrong? What is it you're saying?"  
*THAT IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN, AYA MIKAGE!!!* Ceres roared in her mind. *Your concern right now is on escaping from this building before Kagami gets a hold of you!*  
Aya visably reeled from the command.  
"Aya-chan! Dai jo bu!?" Rei shouted in concern.  
"Y-yeah! Fine!" Aya said. "But we need to figure out some way of getting down."  
"You and Rei can hold onto me and I'll jump," Tooya said, glancing towards Rei.  
"Uh--all right. Rei-chan! Come on!" Aya called to her friend.  
"Just a sec!" Rei replied, rushing to the other side of the hatch. She fired the gun for what seemed like a minute on one spot. She stopped, looked at whatever she had shot, nodded, threw the gun to the roof, and ran to them. A strange creaking, a snap, and yells of surprise sounded from the hatch.  
"What did you do?" Aya said.  
"Shot out the cable," Rei said simplly.  
___  
  
The Travler watched as the trio jumped from the roof. He smiled slightly. At least they got away unhurt, he thought gladly.  
His expression changed as he turned his gaze from the place where they had left to the gun on the roof. He too had seen how the girl had handled the gun. She went from extreme klutz with the gun to almost an expert in a matter of seconds. He had never seen anything like that before.  
The weight of his package on his back brought a sudden thought.  
What if she's the one he was talking about?  
The image of a man appeared in his mind. The man was holding the package on his back to him, saying, "It's too late. They've come for us. Take this and go to them."  
The Traveler had been shocked at what was in the package. If the man was giving this to him to take there, that could only mean....  
"Yes," the man had said to his question, "she's been taken. I'm next. You must hurry. They will come for you soon. And when you get there, make sure she comes out unhurt."  
How would he know it was her?  
"You will know because she knows things that she should not."  
The Traveler shook his head to end the memory. It was not his favorite one to say the least. What had happened after that--  
"Stop dwelling on those things!" he ordered himself quickly. "Just do what he said!"  
___  
  
"Are you two sure you're all right?" Suzumi asked them.  
"We're fine, we're fine," Aya reassured her.  
Suzumi let out a sigh of relief. She frowned when she finally noticed Rei sitting beside Aya. "Who are you, might I ask?"   
"She's a friend from school," Aya told Suzumi. "I told you about her, didn't I?"  
A smile spread across Suzumi's face. "Oh! Yes, I remember!" she turned back to Rei. "You're Rei Tsukino, aren't you?"  
"Yes ma'am," Rei said. She glanced down at her watch. "AH!!! I'M LATE!!" she screamed.  
"Nani?" Aya managed to get out, her ears ringing from the scream.  
"Can ya drop me off at my house?!" Rei said hurriedly. "I'm expectin' someone and I can't miss 'em!"  
"Sure!" Q-chan replied. "Where do you live and when're they coming?"  
"Just a few blocks that way and in five minutes!"  
"Okay!" Q-chan said, wicked look on her face. "I'll get ya there in plenty of time!"  
Aya and Suzumi twitched, horrified.  
___  
  
"Thanks for the ride! I really aprreaciate it!" Rei called before she walked into her house.  
"See ya at school, Rei-chan!" Aya, who was still trying to shake off the effects of the chaotic car ride, called back. Rei nodded.  
As they pulled away, Tooya perked up, hearing something. He turned to look back in the direction of Rei's house. Nothing. He turned back around, missing the shadowed figure that darted into Rei's house.  
___  
  
People on the street turned to look in either amazement or puzzlement as the figure walked down the busy streets. They whispered amougst themselves of the identity of the 'man', some believing he was who they thought he was, some convinced he was not, others just looked.  
Shuro sighed. Maybe she should have taken the car to this place after all and advoided the looks and whispers. Dispite the fact that GeSang was no longer, people still recognized her. It was one thing being famous, it was another being gawked at, especially from members of the same sex. She was extremely tired of still having to keep up the guy act.  
She sighed as she turned a corner leading to a section of the suburbs. "What house was it again?" she mumbled to herself, digging a note out of her pocket. "'Third from the first corner down, cement wall, blue roof,'" Shuro read outloud. She glanced around, spotting a blue roof. "Third one down. All right," she said, stuffing the note back in her pocket. "Just hope this is the right one."  
She reached the front door and rang the bell. She could hear someone inside fiddling with what sounded like locks. The door opened, reveiling a blonde girl with large, deep green eyes that reminded Shuro of jade.  
"Hello," Shruo said. "I'm looking for someone, I have an appointment with them at their house. Is this it?"  
"H-hai!" the blonde said. "You're Shuro of GeSang?"  
"Of course," Shuro said, smiling.  
The girl looked her over, obviously thinking of something. She moved the door aside, saying, "Please come on. You probably have others places to go and I don't want to keep you from them."  
"No problem," Shuro replied, stepping in. "I'm not expected anywhere for hours, so take as long as you need."  
"A-all right," the girl said. She closed the door and lead her inside. Shuro expected her to call for the person she was here to see, but then she relized that no one else was there in the house. Everything was quiet. Too quiet.  
"You live alone?" Shuro asked casually.  
"Yes," she replied. "My parents passed away a while ago."  
"I'm sorry to hear that," Shuro said, genuinely sorry.  
"Don't worry yourself over it," she said, smiling. "If you'll follow me, we can get started."  
"Lead the way," Shuro said, bowing grandly. The gesture made them both laugh.  
As Shuro followed the girl, she noticed that the house was tastfully furnished and seemed to be well kept. It was a nice place to live. Shuro wondered briefly how a high school student could afford to live alone in a house that probably cost a fortune. She shrugged it off, thinking her parents left her a bundle of cash.  
"Here we go," her guide said, opening a door and walking inside.  
Shuro nearly gasped at the content of the room. The room was huge and almost all of it was filled with instruments carefully placed in cases or stands for it. There was plently of room to walk around in it, but one would bearly see it because of the instruments.....or the Grand Piano sitting against the left wall. There were even instruments that Shuro had never seen before.  
"Wow," Shuro managed to get out. "You got quite a collection here."  
The girl turned back, a confused look on her face. "'Collection'?"  
Shuro blinked. "This...isn't a collection?"  
"Well," the girl started, "you could say it is, but I can play each and every one of these instruments. Would that count as a collection?"  
"I, uh, guess so," Shuro said, shrugging. "So, let's begin."  
"What do you want me to play?" the girl asked.  
"Why don't we go with the piano?" Shuro said, pointing to it, thinking that would be a safe choice.  
"Okay," she said as she made her way to it. She sat down at the bench and turned to Shuro who came to stand by the piano, marveling at the fine craftsmanship used to construct it. "Any requests?" she asked.  
"Play whatever you like," Shuro said.  
The girl thought it over. Then, after deciding, she moved her hands to sit upon the keys. She took a deep breath.  
Instantly, the room was filled with a soft tune that spilled out from the piano as the girl began to play, striking the keys with praticed ease. It started quiet and serene, then grew a bit louder yet still sounding peaceful.  
The piece made Shuro relax. Her fingers began to drum to the slow beat. She had not heard this piece before, or had she? Was is Mozart? Or maybe Bethoven? She did not know.  
Shuro closed her eyes, her mind beginning to wander a bit. Her thoughts turned to those of her times with Kei, back when they were kids, growing up, then as GeSang, performing, making their album together and so on. Unnoticed, tears gathered under Shuro's closed eyes.  
Suddenly the music stopped. Shuro's eyes snapped opened, her tears quickly falling. She blinked them away. She started to ask the girl why she had stopped. Shuro stopped herself. The girl was bent over the keys, her fingers still where they had stopped. Shuro could hear quiet sobbs from her.  
"D-dai jo bu ka?" Shuro asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
The girl jerked at her touch, her head snapping up. She hastily wiped the tears away from her face.  
Okay, Shuro thought, moving her hands back, this girl does not like to be touched.  
"G-gomen nesai," the girl said. "The song kinda made me thing of...things in the past."  
Shuro nodded, knowing that she had had the same effect. She thought over what she had heard, compared it to the others, and smiled. "Okay!"  
The girl looked at her with a startled look. "Eh?"  
"'Okay', as in, you'll do!" Shuro said, smiling.  
"Really?!" the girl gasped, breaking into a smile as well.  
"Really! I don't mind telling you this, but not one of the applicants I saw have half as much talent as you do!" Shuro said with a wink.  
The compliment--or had it been the wink?--made the girl blush. "Arigato gozimasu!" the girl said, jumping up from the piano and bowing.  
"No problem. Now, I just have to ask this."  
"What?" the girl asked, wondering what it could be.  
"Do you really play all these instruments?" Shuro motioned to the room's contents.  
"Yes!"  
"Why don't you show me, Ms.--Uh, what was your name again?"  
"Rei!" she replied. "Rei Tsukino!"  
___  
  
Aya sighed as she looked up at her room's ceiling. "Ceres?" she said softly, not wanting the others to hear her.  
No answer.  
"Ceres? Come on, I know you can hear me."  
*How could I not?*  
Aya smiled. Now she was getting somewhere. "Ceres, what's wrong? You're starting to freak me out. Why did you react that way to Rei-chan's words? Even I felt it that time."  
Ceres was quiet before saying, *I was....reminded of someone I once knew by her voice.*  
"Her voice?"  
*Hai. Her voice resembles hers so much....I thought it was her...but she is dead. She has been dead for centuries. And yet, those years have not erased her completely from my memory....so today's events just seemed to sharpen my memories slightly. That is all.*  
Aya frowned slightly. It was very unlike Ceres to talk so much on one subject. Plus, she felt that Ceres was hiding something...  
"Aya!"  
Aya sat up as Yuuhi opened her door. "Hey! Knock first!" Aya said, throwing her pillow at him.  
He caught it and said, "I'm about to head over to the market for a few gorcerices, wanna come?"  
"Why are you asking me?" Aya asked.  
Yuuhi shrugged. "Company, I guess. Tooya said he was heading that way so--"  
"Let's go!" Aya said, jumping off her bed and out the door, grabbing Yuuhi by the collar and half-dragging him behind her.  
___  
  
The market was busy that day, there was bearly a square foot of ground showing through the mass of people crammed on the street. Aya scanned the crowd in case she knew anyone. Nope, just strangers as far as the eye could see.  
"Man, what a crowd," Yuuhi remarked.  
"Yeah," Aya agreed, moving closer to Tooya. "Wonder why?"  
Tooya looked over the crowd for no reason, just looking. His eyes stopped on one person a few yards away haggling over the price of something in their hand. Tooya could only see the back of the head, but he recognized the individual.  
Aya saw him staring in one direction quite intently and followed his line of site. She stopped in her place, mouth hanging open in shock. "No way," she breathed.  
Yuuhi, hearing her, turned. "What's wrong?"  
Without answering, Aya broke away from them and ran to the person. When she reached them, she glomped onto them, yelling, "Oni-chan!"  
She was answered with a starlted, "GACK!!"  
Aya stopped, not knowing the reason behind the word. She looked up. The one she was hugging had hair very much like Aki's, the main difference being that it was past the waist and in a thin ponytail, and the same facial features.  
Yet he had murky green eyes, not blue ones.  
"May I help you?" the boy asked, looking down at Aya.  
His voice startled Aya for a moment. This has to be Oni-chan! His voice is even the same! It has to be! "O-Oni-chan?" she said slowly. "It's me...Aya."  
"Gomen. I don't know you," he said, dislodging himself from her, looking at her weirdly.  
"Aya," Yuuhi said as he and Tooya came up to them. "What's with y--" He stopped when he saw the boy. "Aki??"  
The boy blinked, a perplexed look on her face. "H-how...do you know my name?"  
"Then you are Aki!" Aya said, jumping up and down.  
"I ain't your brother!" he said, raising his hands in front of him and backing away slightly.  
"But--but you said--" She was intterupted by the sudden cry of a baby.  
The boy groaned and reached behind him. He pulled off a make-shift carrier with a little baby inside. "Geez, hungry again?" he mumbled.  
Aya caught a glimpse of the babe. It was a girl and she was VERY small. She figured to be only a few days old. What was a boy her age doing with a baby that young? "Uh--what's with the kid?" she said.  
He shot her a look. "I don't even know you and you're asking pretty personal questions, chick."  
"So she's your kid?"  
"She's my sister!" he nearly shouted. "Now if you don't mind--" He stopped, staring hard at Tooya, who had just walked up. Tooya stared back, also seeing his strong resemblence to Aki. The boy continued to stare at Tooya for a few moments, looking him up and down, then shifted his gaze to Aya. The boy's eyes suddenly grew wide, moving from Aya to Tooya and back swiftly, as if he knew them. He mouthed something Aya could not decipher clearly. She guessed he was saying, 'No way.'  
The boy turned back to Aya. "You...you said your name was 'Aya', right?" he asked slowly.  
"Yeah."  
"Then do you know Suzumi Aogori, by any chance?"  
"How do you know my sister's name?" Yuuhi asked suscisiously.  
The boy blinked. "'Sister'? Then, you're Yuuhi?"  
"How do you know *MY* name?" Yuuhi exclaimed, extremly freaked.  
"I'll explain later, but right now, I need to see your sister."  
Yuuhi gave him a 'yeah right' look. "Why should I?"  
The boy smirked. "'Many things go unnamed in this world. We have one to speak of.'"  
Yuuhi gagged on his breath. He gave the boy a look reserved for those people who have two heads. "How did you--When did you--Why are--" Yuuhi stuttered, still shocked.  
The boy's smirk widened.  
Yuuhi stopped, a thoughtfull look on his face. He turned to Aya. "Looks like we're going to have take-out tonight, 'cause we ain't going to get any shopping done."  
___  
  
"So you say his name is 'Aki'?" Suzumi asked Yuuhi, looking at the youth in front of her that the others had brought in.  
"What he says." He leaned closer and whispered, "He gave the sign he knows us. I think you should talk to him."  
Suzumi gave him a look that said she did not believe him before turning to the boy. "Aki, was it?" she started.  
"Hai, Suzumi-san," he said.  
"Well, I have been told that--" She was cut off by a sudden wailing noise.  
The boy named Aki looked embarrassed. "Um--Would you mind if I prepared some formula for my sister? She's a bit hungry..."  
Suzumi hid a smile. "Of course. Why don't you let Aya look after her while you and I have our discussion in another room?"  
Aki looked doubtful at Aya before handing the crying infant over to her. Aya held the baby carefully. The babe's cries grew softer, yet continued at a healthy pace. Aki looked shocked. "Wow," he said softly. "She usually doesn't like strangers."  
Aya grinned. "I just got that touch," she said as he turned to follow Suzumi. Yuuhi mumbled something under his breath. Aya looked at the babe, then Yuuhi, an idea in her mind. "Hey, Yuuhi, hold her while I get some food for her," she said as she put the baby in his arms and left quickly, hiding a grin.  
"Ah! Aya, wait!" Yuuhi tried to advoid the baby, but ended up with it in his arms. Being changed so quickly upseted the babe so much she started a whole new cry, which sounded like scream instead. "Aw great," Yuuhi groaned, shaking his head.  
Since he had moved so roughly to get away, his metal chopsticks fell out of their place and landed on the baby. Yuuhi 'gacked' when the kid grabbed a hold of them. "H-hey! Those aren't for--" He was cut off when the baby shoved a chopstick up each of his nostrols.  
Chidori, quick to see a good chance at blackmail in the future, pulled out her camera. "Photo Op.!" she called as she snapped a picture of the baby pulling the chopsticks away, stretching Yuuhi's nose. She grinned at the expression on Yuuhi's face before running off, knowing Yuuhi would want to confenscate the negatives.  
"CHIDORI!!" he yelled, pulling the chopsticks out of his nose and dumping the baby in Tooya's arm before running after Chidori, death in his face. "GIVE ME THAT CAMERA!!"  
Tooya watched as he chased Chidori out the door and into the courtyard, all the while yelling for her to give up the camera. Tooya looked down at the baby in his arms, wondering what do to since this was the first time he had ever held a baby. He sat down, carefull not to jostle her too much, and leaned against a wall, looking at the kid. To his surprise, the baby stopped crying and looked back at him. He studied the baby, noticing for the first time that she had a full head of hair already, the color being a soft red with two streaks of yellow coming from each temple. She had large, bright, curious blue eyes that looked into his green ones with a steady gaze. Without warning, the baby suddenly giggled, waving her chubby arms towards Tooya. He blinked, not knowing how to respond. The baby found that funny and giggled again. Her hand manage to wiggle out of the blanket she was wrapped in and grabbed the cross of the choker around his neck. She squealed in delight, jerking the pendant up and down.  
Tooya looked at the delighted infant for the longest time, a feeling of some kind slowly forming inside him. It was similar to the feeling he got around Aya, like he wanted to protect the kid, like he loved her, though not in the same sense as with Aya (cause that'd be disgusting). Yes, he felt like he loved this child even though he did not know why.  
From behind the door, Aya smiled, watching Tooya with the baby. The baby still waved the pendant on the choker around as if there was no tomorrow. Then, something Aya had never seen happened. Something that almost made her drop the bottle she had made for the baby.  
Tooya smiled.  
Tooya smiling??! Aya thought. Yow! Alert the media! This is big!  
As she watched, Tooya continued to smile at the babe. Aya stopped, another smile playing at her own lips. It was a sweet scene to look on, Tooya with the baby. She felt her heart soften at the look on his face. She silently wished she had a camera on hand so she could capture this moment on film. Everything was so peacefull, so serene...  
Chidori came crahing into Aya from around the corner, Yuuhi behind her still screaming for the camera.  
___  
  
"Well. What is it you need?" Suzumi asked, eyeing the young man in front of her.  
Aki hesitated before saying, "If you can, would you mind putting up with me and Suzuku for a while?"  
Suzumi blinked. "Suzuku? Who's that?"  
"My sister. The baby," he explained. "You see, we just got in town and...well, I don't have enough money to stay at a motel or anything like that."  
Suzumi considered this. "Aki-san, you must understand something, we, the people in this house already, are in, we shall say, a situation of sorts. This might cause problems for you and--"  
"I can take care of it." Aki smirked a bit before reaching into the bag at his side. He pulled something out of it and tossed it at Suzumi.  
She caught it and looked at it. It was a dagger, much like Tooya's she noted, with green jewels in the hilt instead of red. Suzumi frowned. The blade felt like it had a pulse...  
"Interesting blade," she commented, tossing it back to Aki, who caught it.  
"As I said," he said, replacing the dagger in his bag, "I can take care of it. I will work to repay you if you agree. I'll do any chores you tell me, I'll protect this house, anything you ask."  
Suzumi looked him over again, trying to see if he was being truthfull, before saying, "All right. I will have Q-chan prepare a room for you--"  
"I didn't mean a room," Aki interrupted. "Just boarding. I still have a few errands to run, but then I will just need board. I have no desire to inconvinence you in any way so a room will not be nessacary."  
Suzumi sighed. "As you wish, but there will still be a room ready if you change your mind." She hid a smile, thinking that Aki was joking.  
___  
  
"So he's gonna live with us?" Yuuhi asked, rubbing his nose, which was still a bit sore.  
"Yes. Yuuhi, why is your nose so red?" Suzumi asked, a puzzeled look on her face.  
"Nothing! Nothing!" he said, quickly shooting Chidori a dark look as she burst out in giggles.  
"Anyway, he said he was going to run an errand tonight but afterwards he would come back. Meanwhile, he's asked us to look after Suzuku--his sister."  
"Suzuku? That's her name?" Aya asked, holding her as she nursed from her bottle.  
"That's what he told me," Suzumi said, "so I guess so."  
"Suzuku, eh?" Aya looked down at the baby and smiled. "Hey, Suzu-chan! Welcome to the family!" The baby hiccupped in reply.  
"I wonder what kind of errand he's doing..." Chidori said, stopping her giggling.  
___  
  
The Traveler jumped off the edge of the wall, landing on the next one with practiced ease. His feet hit the top of the walls perfectly, knowing where to place his next step. His mind noted that not much was different than where he had come from.  
Goes to show you how little things change, he thought, catching a tree branch and flipping up into the foliage, higher and higher until he reached the top of the tree. The Traveler stopped, something catching his eye. He looked around studying the landscape, taking in every detail around him. He sighed and shook his head, "Remenise later, you have better things to do now...." Before he continued on his way, he stole one glance up at the moon hanging in the night sky, smiling at the shadows that looked like a rabbit watching him.  
___  
  
Three days passed. Life in the Aogori house adjusted well, the two new residents making little difference. Aki rarely talked at all to the others, doing so only when nessicary. Despite that, he was welcomed.  
No attacks were made by the Mikage that they knew of. At school, Rei told Aya that she had not heard or seen anyone associated with them. Things were going all right.  
___  
  
Aya yawned as she closed the door to the bathroom behind her and she made her way back to her bedroom. "Long day," she said to herself, scratching her head sleepily. She passed by the courtyard, stopping when she saw a strange bunch of shadows in front of her. She frowned, following it to one of the trees out in the courtyard. She looked up in the branches and nearly fell over in surprise.  
Sitting in a high branch, back against the trunk, was Aki, Suzuku in his arms, asleep.  
"Doesn't he have a room?" she said to herself.  
"Aya-chan?" a voice said. She turned to see Suzumi coming from the direction if her own room. "What's wrong?"  
"That," Aya said pointing.  
Suzumi made a face. "What is he doing?" she said. "I told Q-chan to--" She stopped. "That's what he meant!" she said, slapping the heel of her hand against her forehead. "That's what he meant when he said just boarding." She shook her head. "I'm going to have a talk with him in the morning..."  
Aya just stood there, not understanding, when a tingle ran down her spine, as if she was being watched. "Suzumi-san?" she whispered. "Do...you feel something?"  
At that moment, Aki's form suddenly came to life, springing up into a standing position on the branch. He shifted the baby in his arms to get a better hold on her. He stared downwards, on the other side of the wall that surrounded the house. He snapped his head back and shouted to Aya, "Catch!!" He tossed Suzuku to her.  
"Ah! He's insane!" Aya gasped, running with her arms streatched out to catch the flying bundle. Before she could, a pair of hand shot out and did so before harm could be done. Aya stopped herself before plowing into Tooya, who was looking at Aki. "Tooya?" Aya said, surprised because she did not see him come up. "How did you--"  
"Not now," he whispered, handing the baby to her. His dagger shot out once his hands were free. He slowly advanced towards the wall, slilent. Aki's gaze moved over to Tooya for a moment, seeing him and nodding slightly.  
"What is going on here?" Suzumi said, stepping up beside Aya.  
"Like I know."  
"So you decided to come after all!" Aki shouted loudly, reaching into his jacket and pulling out his own dagger.  
"Ha! Don't get so full of youself, dork!" a strange voice responded from the other side of the wall.  
Aki's eyes narrowed. "Why you--"  
"Ah, ah, ah! Not so fast! What do you say we pick up from where we left off, neh?"  
Tooya took his cue from Aki and slashed through the wall, making a circular hole in it. The pieces fell into a pile, dust settleing fairly fast. A figure stood on the other side, looking in through the new opening. It appeared to be a boy of ten or so with shaggy brown hair and eyes, dressed in a full body jump suit made of some dark blue material. His eyes widened when he saw Tooya and he stepped back one step before stopping and frowning. A smirk then spread across his face. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Trying to hide behind him, Aki-chan?"  
"Don't call me that, you little--" Aki shouted, anger radiating from him.  
"Hold that thought. I wouldn't want you to curse in front of women and childeren," the boy said, motioning towards Aya and Suzumi.  
"Who are you?" Tooya said, moving closer and inbetween the boy and them in case he meant trouble.  
"So you do speak after all!" the boy said, clapping his hands once. "What a surprise!"  
Tooya was annoyed. "Who are you?!" he repeated.  
"Talking won't solve anything," the boy said, crossing his arms and turning his head to the side in a snobbish manner.  
Aki suddenly dove off the branch and slammed his dagger downwards on the boy. But he hit nothing but the concrete.  
"Yohoo! Over here!" the boy's voice spoke. He was standing on part of the wall that was undamaged. "As I said, boys, talking will solve nothing. Fighting, on the other hand..." He shrugged. "Who knows?"  
Tooya jumped up, slashing his dagger in an attempt at slicing the boy's bratty head off. The boy chuckled, dodging his strike with ease. In a last ditch effort, Tooya threw his dagger at him as a decoy and did a roundhouse. Seeing this, the boy jumped back into the air. Tooya waited for him to come down.  
...and waited...  
...and waited...but the boy hung there, crossing his legs as if he were sitting on a floor.  
"Well. Looks like I'm going to have to teach you a little lesson, now aren't I?" The boy opened his hands, palms up, resting the backs on his knees. Suddenly electricity fired from his hands to Tooya, who leapt out of the way just in time. The boy laughed, grinning as his hands were covering in glowing blue orbs that pulsed.  
"What the *HECK* is going on!?!" Aya shouted, eyes snapping from the boy to his illuminated hands.  
"Lesson One," the boy said, his voice sounding like it was several octives lower and echoed around them. His head lowered a bit and his brown eyes were lit with the same blue light that was around his hands. "Never mess with a member of the MC2!!"  
Streaks of electricity flew out in all directions from him.  
  
To Be Continued... 


End file.
